FAQ’s

Have a question about our garden annexes? From questions we’re asked to the smallest details, we have you covered. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, our friendly and knowledgeable team are on hand to help

Yes, we build all of our annexes to exceed UK building regulations so they are as thermally efficient as a new build house.

Can garden annex be moved at a later date?

Maintenance,

Whilst our garden annexes could technically be disconnected from the services and moved we would recommend against it. Once the partition walls and plastering have been completed the building will lose its modular makeup. The buildings have not been designed with crane lifting in mind.

Can I add a skylight to my garden annex design?

Construction, Options,

We are unable to install a skylight in our annex buildings because our roof construction has been designed for longevity and strength, and unfortunately will not support them. We are able to offer LED panel lights which replicate the light offered by a sky light, whatever the weather outside.

Can I go and look at an annex near me?

Showroom,

Our annexes are built for the personal use of our customers so instead we have built the UKs largest garden room showroom. We have three annexes on site with a huge range of options and you can stay as long as you like looking around.

Can I have underfloor heating?

Options,

In addition to our standard wall mounted heaters we also offer underfloor heating as an optional upgrade. Please speak to a member of our team for more information.

Can I install a wood burner into my garden annex?

Options,

The insulation in our garden annexes is so good that you’ll often find that a wood burner will make the room too warm. We therefore don’t recommend installing a log burner.

Can I live in an annex in my garden?

Planning,

Absolutely, all of our annex range are designed to be lived in. They are also built and signed off to UK building regulations.

Can I stain or paint the outside of my annex?

Maintenance,

If you opt for our redwood or cedar options then you can both stain or paint the outside of the room. We would recommend waiting for the green colour to weather out of our redwood before treating it. Cedar can be treated with a UV osmo oil at any point and this will help retain it’s red colour.

Our composite cladding options are not designed to be painted and shouldn’t change colour after the first three months.

Can you add a dividing wall to the annex?

Options,

We offer dividing partition walls so you can create a separate room for bedrooms and bathrooms in your annex.

Can you attach an annex onto the side of my house?

Construction,

Our range of garden annexes are designed to be standalone units and therefore cannot be attached to the house.

Can you build an annex as a ‘lean to’ against my house?

Construction,

Our garden annex range is designed to be built as a standalone structure. We can build it next to your house but it must not be attached.

Can you create me a completely bespoke annex?

Construction, Design,

Our range of annexes are available in 0.5m increments, and we offer a huge range of door and window options and locations. Due to the modular nature of our build, we are unable to offer a totally bespoke service however.

Can you design my garden annex as a custom shape?

Construction, Design,

All of our annexes must be either square or rectangular in shape.

Can you install solar panels on the roof of the annex?

Construction, Electrics & Internet, Options,

Our roof structure is able to support the weight of solar panels. The angle of the roof differs from the ideal angle for solar panels making them less efficient. The additional height this would create however make it highly unlikely that planning would be granted for solar panels.

Do I need to get planning permission?

Planning,

Yes, our planning consultant will apply for planning permission on your behalf and deal with the council’s planning department for you.

Do I need to remove trees and shrubs before my site survey?

Survey,

No, our garden annex survey team will be able to measure around any trees and shrubs.

Do we have to pay separately the foundations and installation?

Process,

Our garden annex range is designed to offer you everything you need to get your annex up and running as standard. Your base and installation are included in the price.

Do you deliver garden annexes abroad?

Process,

Our range of garden annexes are only installed on the mainland of England, Wales and Scotland. Delivery charges apply for installations over 100miles from our factory.

Do you include plumbing in your annexes?

Options,

Our garden annex range includes up to 10m of cold water and foul pipework, and connection to the cold water feed and foul drain. We will be able to discuss prices for longer distances at your site survey.

Do you offer any bathroom upgrades?

Bathroom,

We try to offer everything you would need in your bathroom as standard. We do offer a heated LED wall mirror and shaver sockets as upgrades for those who would like them.

Do you offer custom bathroom sizes?

Bathroom,

We currently offer four different bathroom sizes, based on our bathroom designers experience. As standard you can choose from 900mm x 2850mm or 1400mm x 2000mm. You can upgrade to a larger 900mm x 3350mm or 1900mm x 1900mm.

Do you offer discounts?

Process,

We are proud to offer a transparent pricing policy and lay out our pricing clearly on our website without hidden extras. We do not offer any discounts on this pricing.

Do you offer electrical connection from my house to my garden room?

Construction, Electrics & Internet, Options,

We include up to 20m of 35mm armoured cable as standard, and connection to fuse box in your house and fuse box in the annex. We will price for any additional cable required at your site survey.

Do you offer finance on garden annexes?

Process,

We do not currently offer finance on our garden annex range.

Do you offer painting?

Options,

Our garden annex range comes plastered and painted white as standard. We also offer a range of other paint colours as an upgrade option.

Do you offer soundproofing options for your annexes?

Construction,

Our garden annex range includes 50mm of Rockwall insulation as part of their 100mm of wall insulation, which provides a level of sound reduction through the walls. We don’t offer total soundproofing options in our annex buildings.

Do you offer toilets and kitchens in your garden annexes?

Construction,

Yes, we offer both bathrooms featuring toilets, sinks and showers and kitchens as part of our annex range.

Do you supply CAD drawings for planning permission purposes?

Planning,

Our team will provide CAD drawings to our planning consultant, who will complete your planning application on your behalf.

Do your garden annexes come with a guarantee?

Process,

Our garden annex range is covered by a 10 year guarantee.

Do your garden annexes come with heating?

Electrics & Internet, Options,

Our garden annex range includes standard wall mounted heaters as standard. We also include a heated towel rail in the bathroom. We offer underfloor heating and air conditioning units that heat and cool as upgrade options.

Do your kitchens come with a splashback?

Kitchen,

Our kitchens come with a splashback behind the hob as standard. We offer three different colour options to choose from. These are displayed in our showroom if you’d like to see them in the flesh.

Does my quote include VAT?

Process,

All of our garden annex pricing includes VAT.

Does the area that I want to have the garden annex need to be level before?

Construction,

We ask that you clear the site on which you want the garden annex before we arrive. Our standard pricing includes levelling up to 300mm, and installing a small sleeper retaining wall if necessary. We do offer levelling for slopes greater than 300mm but this will be charged for in addition to our standard pricing. Our surveyors will discuss this with you at your site survey.

How close can my garden annex be built from the boundary or obstacles?

Construction,

We require a minimum gap of 400mm from any obstacle to construct your garden annex. We can build right up to the boundary line if the planners allow it and there are no obstacles in the way.

How do I get internet into my garden annex?

Electrics & Internet,

We offer a number of different options to get internet to your garden annex. If you are looking to use the same connection as the main house then you have two main options. We can run a hard wired ethernet cable from the main router to the garden room. We can also provide a pair of homeplugs. These are designed to send your internet signal down the power network and will create a wireless network in your annex using the connection in the house. If you would like a separate connection run to the annex we recommend speaking to your ISP (BT, Virgin etc).

How is my electrical quote made up?

Electrics & Internet,

We include up to 20m of 35mm armoured cable in our pricing. Additional pricing will relate to cable used over this 20m.

How long does a garden annex take to build?

Process,

Our garden annexes are installed in 4-6 weeks, depending on the size. In reality we will only be on site for 10-12 days, but must allow time for plaster and paint drying, and building control inspector visits.

How long does the site survey take?

Survey,

Our surveys usually take between 1 and 2 hours.

How many sets of keys will I receive with my garden annex?

Process,

You will receive between 4 and 6 keys, so you have plenty to give out to those using the annex.

How many sockets do I get in my kitchen?

Kitchen,

As standard we include 2 double sockets in your kitchen, in addition to the three double sockets included in your main room. You are free to add additional sockets if you would like but they must be situated 300mm from all sinks and hobs.

How much is it for a site survey for my annex?

Survey,

Our site surveys are offered free of charge and with no obligation.

How quickly can you build my garden annex?

Process,

Planning usually takes between 10 and 12 weeks. Once planning is granted we can usually install your annex in 4-6 weeks, subject to our lead times and availability.

How secure are the doors & windows?

Construction,

All of our doors and windows are residential grade and meet the latest insurance standards.

How well insulated are your garden annexes?

Construction,

Our garden annex range is built to exceed UK building regulations, so very. They will keep you warm, even on the coldest winter days.

I already have a concrete base in place, is this ok?

Construction,

Our foundation system must meet building regulations, to achieve sign off by building control so we will likely have to use our own foundation system. We will confirm at site survey but you will likely be asked to remove it before we install your base.

I have a shed where my annex will go, do I need to remove it before I can have a site survey?

Survey,

Our surveyors are able to survey around existing structures and trees/bushes.

I have difficulty getting into the shower, do you offer anything to help?

Bathroom,

All of our bathrooms include low profile shower trays as standard, making it as easy as possible to get into your shower. We are also able to provide grab rails and shower seats if required.

On average, what is the lead time for a site survey?

Survey,

Our survey lead time usually varies between 1 and 14 days, depending on how often we are surveying in your area.

On what days do you perform site surveys?

Survey,

We currently carry out site surveys between Monday and Saturday.

Should I be present at my site survey?

Survey,

Your site survey is really important as the design consultant will discuss electrical and plumbing runs, the size of the building that can fit and kitchen and bathroom options with you. We would ask that you are present.

What access do you need to install a garden annex?

Process,

Our buildings are designed with solid roof and floor panels which are 1m wide. A 3m deep building will typically have a panel around 3-4m long which will need to fit through or down the side of the house to the annex location.

What appliances are included in a garden annex?

Kitchen,

Options B and C are offered as our standard kitchen options and feature a full height 70/30 fridge freezer, a Neff oven, induction hob and extractor fan. Option D adds a washing machine or a dishwasher, and Option E adds a washing machine, dishwasher and microwave. You are able to upgrade the washing machine to a washer dryer if you’d like.

What are the exterior finish options for cladding?

Construction,

We offer a range of cladding options. As standard your building will be clad in maintenance free pressure treated Scandinavian Redwood. You also have the option to upgrade to our range of premium claddings: cedar, honey redwood, slatted honey or slatted redwood.

What are the first steps?

Process,

You can request a brochure from our website. We would recommend coming to visit our showroom first as we have three different annexes on site, with a large range of our options available to view.

What are the heights of your buildings?

Construction,

Our buildings have a standard internal height of around 2.4m at the highest point, sloping backwards at a 4 degree angle. Customers choosing the advanced ceiling option with LED downlights will lose around 100mm for this option. We also offer an extended height option with 2.7m of internal height at the highest point.

What are your annex showroom opening hours?

Showroom,

We are open Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm, Saturdays between 9am – 4pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm. No appointment is necessary.

What colour worktops do you offer?

Kitchen,

We offer three different colours of worktop, and three different colours of kitchen door. Please see our configurator or showroom for the latest ranges offered.

What comes as standard in a garden annex?

Design,

Our annex range include everything you need to build an annex as standard. This includes foundations, a doorset, 2 windows, a bathroom, kitchen, lighting, sockets and 10m connection of water and waste, and 20m connection of electrics.

What groundwork is required before my garden annex can be installed?

Construction,

Our base team will come and ensure the area is level and install a series on concrete pads which will then be approved by our building control inspector before the building is erected on top.

What is included in my kitchen?

Kitchen,

We offer two standard sizes of kitchen, which include an induction hob, electric oven, extractor hood, 70/30 tall fridge freezer and a sink with draining board.

What is the construction of your annex roofs?

Construction,

Our roof panels are 100mm thick structurally insulated panels, steel lined both top and bottom with an epoxy resin on the top and a plasterboard layer underneath.

What is the deposit to reserve my garden room installation date?

Process,

The initial deposit of £2000 is paid to reserve an install date and start the planning process.

What is the finish of your annex walls?

Construction,

Our annex walls are finished with plasterboard, which is then painted. Skirting boards are installed at the bottom after the flooring has been installed.

What is the kelvin of your LED panel light?

Electrics & Internet,

The LED panel lights are 4000 kelvin

What is the largest garden annex that you make?

Design,

Our largest annex floor area is 50sq m. We have a maximum depth of 5m and a maximum width of 14m.

What is the lifespan of an annex?

Maintenance,

Our annex designs are built to last. Our construction techniques mirror those of a timber framed house so with correct maintenance our annexes should last over 50 years.

What is the smallest annex that you can build?

Design,

Our smallest annex size is 5m x 3m. This has enough room for a small bathroom, studio kitchen and sofa bed.

What is your flooring system like?

Construction,

We use 80mm thick Kingspan structurally insulated panels as our flooring system. On top of the floor panels we install an underlay and laminate flooring.

What maintenance is required on the wood cladding?

Maintenance,

Our wood cladding is designed to be maintenance free from a structural point of view. Wood is a natural material and the UV of the suns rays will silver in colour over time. Our redwood range can be treated with a water based wood stain to alter the colour. To prevent the cedar wood silvering we recommend treating it with an Osmo UV oil every 6 months.

What type of foundations do you offer?

Construction,

Our foundations will vary depending on your soil conditions and proximity to trees. Our foundation design uses a series of concrete pads, dug at varying depths based on the conditions. All foundation depths are inspected by a building control inspector before being poured.

What will happen at my site survey?

Survey,

Our design consultant will measure your garden, talk to you about clearance, foundations, water and waste routes and your electrics. They will also be able to talk you through the design of your annex, kitchen and bathroom options and answer any questions you may have.

What’s included in your bathrooms?

Bathroom,

Our bathrooms include an Aqualisa shower, low profile shower tray, sink with vanity unit, heated towel rail and soft close toilet as standard. We offer three different colours of waterproof wall tile in the shower. There are even three different shades of vanity unit door and three different colours of shower unit to pick from.

When do I pay my final balance?

Process,

Your final balance is paid on completion of the annex, once you’ve had your water and electrics connected and we’ve given you a tour of your new building.

Where do you deliver to?

Process,

We offer free delivery within 100 miles of our factory. We deliver to the whole of mainland England, Wales and southern Scotland. For delivery charges outside of our 100 mile radius please contact us.

Where is your showroom?

Showroom,

Our showroom is based at Westcott Venture Park, just off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester. Please see our Visit Us page for directions.

Who makes your appliances?

Kitchen,

All of our appliances are made by Neff. We offer quality as standard, rather than asking you to upgrade to better quality brands.

Will I be given a quote at my survey?

Survey,

Our surveyors will be able to give you a full price breakdown at the site survey, and you will receive an email and physical copy shortly after as well.

Part of The Green Retreats Group. The UK’s largest, leading garden room company.

The Annex specialise in a turnkey solution for fully insulated, habitable garden annexes, granny annexes, school classrooms and other outdoor spaces that need to meet building regulations.